Communication

The huge amount of various air/ground and ground/ground voice and data communication messages requires a sophisticated and well-maintained infrastructure and high performance systems and networks. Reliable voice and data communication between air traffic control units and between air traffic controllers and pilots are of paramount importance for a safe and smooth handling of air traffic.

Navigation

Advanced Navigation systems (ILS, DVOR/DME, NDB, P-DME, DRDF, etc.) are installed all over the country and airports. These systems are being used for en-route navigation and for precision and non-precision approaches and landings.

Surveillance

Radars are used to determine the aircraft's position in the air or on the ground. En-route traffic in Brussels FIR is covered by the radars of Bertem and St-Hubert operating in Mode S, enabling more selective interrogation of aircraft. Terminal radars at Brussels National Airport and at the Regional Airports of Liège, Ostend and Charleroi are used for the approach traffic. At Brussels National Airport, surface movement radars and a multilateration system are operational to determine the aircraft's position on the ground.

ATM Data Processing

The Automation System which is located in our national air traffic control center (CANAC) at Brussels airport, is the backbone for our CNS/ATM processes. Electronic data processing includes radar data and flight plan processing, distribution of operational information, visualization of the data information and radar fall-back. There is a permanent exchange of data between Belgocontrol and Eurocontrol's CFMU and the Maastricht Upper Area Control Center (MUAC) as well as the control centers of the neighboring countries.

Meteo

A lot of systems and networks ( i.e. weather radar, AFTN, …) form the supporting basis of the MET processes. The Met computer system (METSYSTEM) is used for the receipt, processing, recording and distribution of weather data. Various sensors such as weather radar, anemometers, barometers, visibility sensors, ceilometers, etc. are installed at all Belgian airports. Those sensors are used to permanently measure all relevant parameters of the atmosphere. The measurements are used by the meteorological observers and forecasters to produce weather reports and forecasts.

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